The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

k stud,

Don't get me wrong. If I had my choice I would
1. Try to make KSU football competitive
2. Failing that try like hell to get into the A 10 or MVC
3. The Horizon would be a distant 3rd

I was just trying to provide some data to say it might not be the end of the world.

I have always faulted KSU fans and administration for being small thinking and short sighted. But then, I am from the south originally and we are bred to set goals and strive in a upward way. As an example, ECU has woked to get into the ACC for years. When I came to Kent, ECU was playing in a 12,000 seat stadium. Now, ECU is nowhere close to being in the ACC, but they do get 35,000 to their games with a losing team. When I came to Kent, VA Tech had a stadium the same size as the old Memorial Stadium and we both built a new stadium at the same time. VA Tech was another school desirous of the ACC. UVA vowed that VA Tech would never get in. Now VA Tech IS IN the ACC and their stadium is going thru another expansion so as to acommodate 70,000. BTW, Blacksburg is smaller than Kent with no population base around it.

Here is the way that I solve the football situation. If we have trouble with the MAC and attendance, I say JOIN THE BIG EAST!. Yes I am serious. Our BB program is not that far off. No, I know that we are not there, but, the hurdle is not out of the question. As for FB, We can not draw what we should playing MAC schools. I say that our recruiting and attendance would get better immediately by playing Pitt, Syr, WVU, etc. I can guarantee you that Marshall wants to be in the Big East. Kent State is much closer to being a Big East prospect than Marshall. The Big East would love our total Athletic Department as compared to the schools that they will have to consider. As for finances, you might be surprised as to how well things would work out with better attendance, higher tickets, and the BCS jackpot. How do you think the WF and Duke afford the ACC. How about Northwestern in the Big Ten.

Yes KSU fans, anyone can spell defeat and just give in when things look bleak. The answer sometimes is to adjust up, not down. I probably also, just gave a solution to our poor public education crises in this country. Oh, screw that problem, lets just lower the test score standards and say that problem is solved.

Yes fans, the answer may be in another direction if we had leadership and goals.

I like the idea, GF68. It reminds me of a conversation at a recent meeting within a group I'm associated with for KSU. The topic was around "student attraction," as the competitive nature for qualified high school graduates to enter KSU increases as the pool decreases. Lots of good ideas were discussed, then a fellow member opened up Pandora's Box and all ***!! broke loose.

The reference inciting the revolution was to visitng a child at a Big East school on a football weekend. It wasn't even a Big East school with a good football team. But it drew a crowd, created campus excitement, and was a great student atmosphere. Kids invited kids to visit. Then someone asked "How many of our students invite someone to visit on a football weekend?" You probably know our guess.

I'll abbreviate the long, long conversation. Here's where we netted out (before being politely told we were out of bounds on our part of the ideas, which was correct):

1. In Ohio, shine where we can compete. No matter how well we do, we are not going to be OSU football. But why couldn't we be Cincinnati in basketball? ( Someone said, "Why settle for Gonzaga?") We are state school, as large or larger in enrollment, near a metro area, and are starting a tradition. UC made itself attractive to the Big East. Why can't we?

2. No matter how you slice it, MAC football is ultimately a losing financial proposition. See reference to OSU in Ohio above. The biggest problem is the lack of a post season paycheck and exposure, even for the team that wins, which we are far off from doing. There are just not that many casual fans that going to come out to see Ball State, Western Michigan, etc. in Kent. We understood why the school ten miles west needs to build a stadium. They have one falling down. Let them say they are moving the program up. They still have to get NE Ohio Buckeye fans interested in passing up Ohio State on a Saturday afternnon for a game with Central Michigan. Might be better, but will not be great. Basketball, on the other hand, with the right opponents, could be great.

3. So, back to student attraction. Our idea was to invest in basketball with stronger opponents. This is where the Big East and the "Why can't we be University of Cincinnati?"comes in. We will likely not get there in football, but basketball is in our reach. The Bracket Buster game shows the potential. It's just ours to grab. Then, students will invite friends for the weekend- the basketball weekend.

Again, we left off with "interesting ideas, off topic." But these are not dead. The MAC championship buzz just gave them a second life.

So, what ever happened to Rhode Island and J.C.?

Coaching Changes

Looking at this list on Sportsline, there don't appear to be any upward moves that JC would be likely to be offered. Everything else is below us. Good for us. Things could change as the shuffle continues, but it looks like it plays out in our favor for this year.
The job he might want is Seton Hall, but I think he's not on their radar as yet.

FlashFans and GF68,

Interesting propositions. Big goals. I like the idea of b-ball bringing along the rest. If you read the MTSU article that Nashville posted, it goes along similar lines. We need to ask for better and shoot for better. MAC football is a killer from a financial standpoint. That is why I suggested 1-AA. But, I like the Big East idea better!

Invest in B-ball. Make it big time and get football to be respectible without huge investment. Had Temple's admin not blown off the Big East when they wanted to know what their plans were to right the ship, they would probably have an all sports invite because of their b-ball reputation. Anyone care about Duke, WF, UNC f-ball in the ACC, not really. We need to bring something to the table and b-ball and the overall athletic program are our strength. Better opponents will also help give us a point of difference in the market for football that will help marketing - Pitt, WVU, Syracuse. Sounds good to me.

We will probably never fill a stadium playing Buffalo or BUGS at $10.00 per head. But, a regular contest against WVU would bring 10,000 WVU fans at $25-30.00 per fan. They have been paying that for years. I submit that Kent fans would jump on that wagon in larger numbers because it would be fun and fashionable. And, at the end of the year, a big BCS check would certainly help. BB would pay just in the increased interest.

I broke that on the site and in the Pgh Sports Report. He was never big on taking the gig but the offer made him at least look. Source of the offer was very close to Groce as in somebody that would've been on his staff if he took it.

Thanks, hh. Keep the news coming.